💭 FCL Weekly Thought: 05/02/25

Hey everyone,

Hope your week’s going well. We’ve got a packed edition this week highlighting a few rising recruits, sharing best practices on concussion awareness, and dropping some exciting updates from the FCL world. Whether you’re a player, parent, or coach, there’s something in here for you.

Let’s get into it. Happy Friday ☕️,
Matt & Deemer

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🔥 First Class Lacrosse x Q-Collar

We’ve seen more and more athletes wearing the Q-Collar, and it’s something worth paying attention to. It applies light pressure to the jugular vein, increasing blood volume in the skull, which helps reduce movement during impacts.

What stands out:

• Adds protection in a way helmets can’t on their own
• Backed by over 10 years of research and 25 studies
• Lightweight and comfortable without affecting performance

If you’re curious, it’s worth digging into the science and forming your own opinion. Player safety is something we take seriously.

Use promo code FCL10 for 10% off if you want to check it out.

THIS WEEKS CONTENT AT A GLANCE

• 🎧 Podcast - Ep. 14 of FCL’s In-Season Podcast with CJ Kirst & Michael Long

• 🔥 Webinar recording - Analytics: The Art of Picking Up Many Little Edges

• ✍️ Blog - A Defender’s Guide to Defense by Matt Dunn

• 🏃‍♂️ On the run newsletter - NCAA Lacrosse Weekly Recap

💭 WEEKLY THOUGHT 
Recognizing Concussions in Lacrosse

The FCL Community continues to grow and is full of players, parents an coaches. A few weeks back, we wrote about prioritizing player safety. This week, we wanted to share some updated information on concussions for those who are less familiar and discuss some best practices. Often times, these are harder to see. Whether you’re a player, coach, or parent, understanding how to recognize a concussion and knowing the best practices for return to play can make all the difference in protecting long-term health and safety. We reference a lot of information from USA Lacrosse’ latest guidelines here.

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the skull. Even seemingly minor impacts can result in a concussion, and symptoms may not always appear immediately. As a player, I can remember having a range of symptoms during concussions and a few were not as “major” as a big knockout blow. Nonetheless, they’re all important to assess.

How to Recognize a Concussion

Recognizing a concussion quickly is crucial. Common signs and symptoms include:

• Headache or “pressure” in the head

• Nausea or vomiting

• Dizziness or balance problems

• Blurred or double vision

• Sensitivity to light or noise

• Feeling sluggish, hazy, or groggy

• Confusion, trouble concentrating, or memory problems

• Loss of consciousness (even briefly)

These symptoms can be subtle and may develop over hours or days. Our players reading should take note as we firmly believe these aren’t to be taken lightly. These are OK to tell your coach or parent. Our parents and coaches should monitor for these, continue researching, and remember that players might not always be forthcoming.

The CDC also has some outlines on concussion symptoms to be aware of. If a player exhibits any of these signs after a hit or fall, it is recommended they be removed from play immediately and evaluated by a healthcare professional familiar with concussion management.

Immediate Steps: When in Doubt, Sit Them Out

If you suspect a concussion:

• Remove the athlete from play right away.

• Do not let them return to the field the same day, even if symptoms seem to improve.

• Seek evaluation by a medical professional as soon as possible.

Remember, playing through a concussion increases the risk of further injury and prolonged recovery.

Best Practices for Return to Play

Returning to play after a concussion should always be a gradual process guided by a healthcare provider. According to the latest USA Lacrosse guidelines, here are the key steps:

1. Rest and Recovery: The athlete should have complete physical and cognitive rest until symptoms resolve.

2. Medical Clearance: Only a healthcare professional experienced in concussion management should clear the athlete to begin return-to-play activities.

3. Graduated Return-to-Play Protocol: This is a stepwise process, typically including:

   • Light aerobic exercise (walking, stationary cycling)

   • Sport-specific exercise (running drills, no contact)

   • Non-contact practice (more complex drills)

   • Full-contact practice (after medical clearance)

   • Return to competition

Each stage should take at least 24 hours, and the athlete should only progress if symptom-free. If symptoms return, they must drop back to the previous step and consult their provider.

Why Following Protocols Matters

Proper concussion recognition and management are vital for preventing long-term brain injury. Returning to play too soon can lead to more severe concussions, longer recovery, or even life-threatening complications. The CDC also outlines some “don’ts” for parents during recovery:

• Don't ignore concussion danger signs or symptoms that are getting worse and don't go away.

• Don't prevent your child from sleeping.

• Don't give your child medication to help them sleep, or other medications without asking your child's doctor or nurse.

• Don't isolate your child in a dark room during recovery or prevent them from staying in touch with others.

• Don't make your child lay on the couch or in bed all day.

• Don't let your child return to playing sports on the same day the concussion occurred.

• Don't rush the recovery process or expect it to happen a certain way.

It’s good to be informed as latest research is always evolving.

Takeaway for the Lacrosse Community

Concussions are invisible injuries, but their impact can be lasting. By learning to recognize the signs and following best practices for return to play, we can keep our athletes safe and ensure they enjoy the game for years to come.

Recently, technology like the Q-Collar has become popular amongst many lacrosse athletes as a form of extra preventative care. You can read more about the science here. As anything, it is worth doing more research into protocol and measures so we can keep out athletes on the field and long term interests in mind.

Best,
Coach Class and Coach Dunn

🤔 PARENT PERSPECTIVE Q&A

Question

Answer
Great question, and one we get a lot of thanks for asking.

First, I’ll say that every recruiting process is different and it’s dynamic. You need to build that into your expectations going into the summer. Her process will likely not be the same as her teammates or as a friend from last year.

Things change as players grow, develop, and get more reps. There’s no single event or email that will “get her recruited,” but there are steps that can make the journey more productive, less stressful, and more rewarding.

A few important things to keep in mind:

• Set the right expectations. Ask coaches where they could see your daughter playing right now. The answers will vary, and they’ll evolve, but it helps to get some honest feedback early. While this isn’t anything set in stone, it helps to set the guard rails for what to realistically expect.

• Build in rest. Summer is busy, but be thoughtful with scheduling. If she’s doing too much and not enjoying it (or showing up tired) she won’t play her best. Pick events where she’ll be seen, but make sure she’s fresh enough to compete well.

• Let her drive the communication. Help her write personal emails to schools she’s genuinely interested in. Include her summer schedule, a link to her highlight tape, her transcript, and a short, specific note about why she likes that school. Talk with her club or high school coaches beforehand to make sure it’s a realistic target. Recruiting is a two-way street, schools want to recruit players that want to be at their school. Express interest authentically.

• Focus on how she plays and how she carries herself. Coaches are watching more than just stats or flashes. They’re watching hustle, body language, how she handles mistakes, and whether she competes possession to possession.

At the end of the day, control what you can: preparation, communication, attitude, and consistency. Recruiting can feel overwhelming, but if she keeps improving, plays hard, and expresses genuine interest in the right places, good things usually happen.

We strongly suggest building a network of trusted mentors and coaches to help with this process.

🔥 RECRUITING COVERAGE

We are introducing a new section in the Weekly Thought where we highlight some athletes that are catching our eye. We will share clips, highlight videos, and brief thoughts as this section evolves.

Matthew Byrne | 2025 | Attack | Horace Greeley | UMass Signee |
Matt is a guy that has an array of shooting releases. He’s deceptive, crafty, and puts in a lot of time on his game. He’s one of the top section 1 scorers this spring with 24 goals and 39 assists. He’s headed to UMass in the fall. He was 3 and 1 in a tough 1 goal loss to Rye HS.

samstphotography

2,009 followers

View more on Instagram

Sienna Chirieleison | 2025 | Midfield | Trinity HS | Syracuse Signee |
Coming off a big winter where she earned an MVP nod at BIC Committed, Sienna has continued her incredible high school career at Trinity, recently surpassing 500 goals and 600 points for her career. She has set a PA state record and is approaching the national goals record. Sienna has faced so many early slides, face guards and more and we can’t wait to follow how she closes out the season!

🏋 BREAKDOWN OF THE WEEK
CJ KIRST’s SUPERPOWER: THE HESITATION MOVE

Our free content on social media is core to who we are as a business. We love sharing content that you love seeing. Check out our latest YouTube breakdown of Cornell superstar, CJ Kirst, and his mastery of the hesitation move.